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<\/a>The breakfast spread.. meat, cheese, grapes, vegetables, eggs, rice porridge… the list goes on<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>If you need any part, you can probably find it… although it won’t come in shiny new packaging! It may also be second-hand (or fifth-hand!), probably a chinese knock-off and if you have any special part – well, be inventive!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>C\u00e9dric was required to work on the bike as well<\/p><\/div>\n
As we were packing up to leave, we noticed that a piece of our trailer flag was missing. Although the merchants were trying to tell us that we had no flag when coming, we were sure about the opposite (simply because we had a part of the flag remaining). We looked around for a couple of minutes just in case we would have put it inadvertently somewhere, but nothing. A little pissed off that someone would have taken such a useless and ridiculous part (a glass-fiber stick holding a yellow flag), yet fairly useful (we try to believe that cars notice the flag when stopping behind us instead of running into us). We walk away in a bad mood, when C\u00e9dric sees a kid holding a part that looks very much like ours, grab it from the kid and (try to) explain to the dad (and a policeman who was drinking a tea, probably as his main job task) that his son is a thief\u2026 unfortunately our Russian language skills are not fluent enough to explain him that \u201cqui vole un oeuf vole un boeuf\u201d (give him an inch and he\u2019ll take a mile<\/em>), and that they should consider doing something. We got a lame explanation that actually an older person took it and gave it to him as a gift, the policeman just enjoyed looking at the scene with his tea \u2013 we took the part and left, not thrilled and again not excited about the Fergana valley (Kyrgyzstan is composed of several ethnic groups in the different regions of the country, the Fergana valley is far away from the nomadic way of life in the mountainous parts of the country).<\/p>\n A look into the bazaar<\/p><\/div>\n Exhausted from the day\u2019s events, we ventured out once more to find a late lunch, an Orthodox church, and yet another Lenin statue. Later that night, we once again left our guesthouse for shawarma and roam around the streets. C\u00e9dric, looking like a knowledgeable tourist, was approached several times by other travelers looking for a place to stay or a map of a city. We also had a bizarre exchange with a couple who wittingly left their cellphones at home because who needs a phone anyway, explaining us that all hotels are booked-out, only to use our phone as a map and to find them a hotel for the night (where not a single place was sold-out, but apparently a couple of dollars were still too much \u2013 some tourists are seriously dumb). The next day, we rested and prepared for the onward journey towards Tajikistan, happy to leave the mess of the city and back to quiet camping spots.<\/p>\n Kyrgyzstan is mostly muslim, but the slavic influence from the USSR remains, and a community of orthodox christians live in the larger cities. We got confused a few times between them (looking Caucasians) and tourists (mostly westerners)…<\/p><\/div>\n Another Lenin! This time well maintained and extra-large. It’s more and more difficult to find those statues, the USSR has not always been the greatest for local culture.<\/p><\/div>\n One of the oldest mosques in the city with Mt. Sulayman-Too, although we were too tired\/lazy to do the ~20 minute climb up<\/p><\/div>\n Cassie, happy to buy fresh fruit! We’ll avoid scurvy after a week of noodles-(weird)ketchup<\/p><\/div>\n And visit a Western-style supermarket. Cedric couldn’t resist getting some Chocapics!<\/p><\/div>\n We found that the Kyrgyz tend to go all out for celebrations. It wasn’t long enough, so they also increased the height.<\/p><\/div>\n C\u00e9dric, the affable tour guide<\/p><\/div>\n We left Osh the next morning and maneuvered the traffic as we cycled south. Just a few kilometers outside of the city, we were passed by a few mountain bikers with suspiciously clean and fancy mountain bikes, not a single scratch, then a few more, and at lunch, even more. At one point, we spoke with one of them and found out that they were part of an organized tour that was chauffeuring their luggage from hotel to hotel as they made their way across the Pamir Highway. As usual, most of the people of that group did not say hello (while 100% of cyclo-tourist do), and one explained us that unlike our tour, their 10-days circuit was more adventurous! Sure! Well, the joke was that we had a similar pace for the next three days (no idea which road they took afterwards, but we suspect some bus-ride cheating), although the iron horse is about 70kg heavier, without a mechanic, someone to prepare meals and accommodation, and the backup backseat of a SUV. For C\u00e9dric and me, this type of luxury bike trip doesn\u2019t test your true grit while on the road, and group-tours are definitely never going to be an option anytime soon (we will have another similar encounter with an uninteresting, shinny but unfit and rude British group a few days later\u2026next post!).<\/p>\n As we continued our day climbing up towards the Chirchik pass, we met two New Zealanders and an Italian guy who were also making their way towards the Pamirs. Just before we reached the pass, the storm clouds that had been swirling around the mountains the whole day broke and we sought shelter in a kumis stand on the side of the road. As I saw the smoked leather bag where kumis originates, I thought to myself, \u2018Never again.\u2019 The rain shower was quick, so C\u00e9dric and I hopped back on the bike and found a camping spot near a river just a few kilometers after the pass. We were met by the other cyclists and ended our night with a campfire while telling stories of our travels on the bike.<\/p>\n Unexpected gifts from the owner of our guesthouse. We could neither find an excuse to refuse it, nor give it to someone else, so we’ve carrying a not-so-useful hat all around the Pamirs in our bag…<\/p><\/div>\n Now he’ll definitely fit in with the Kyrgyz men (he just needs to improve drastically his vodka consumption – we swear, not a single drop since we arrived in Central Asia!)<\/p><\/div>\n A common sight while cycling through towns and villages. A kid with a bike sees you, forces to pass you and stops 50m afterwards – faster than the two foreigners: mission accomplished!<\/p><\/div>\n Daniele, a fellow Italian cyclo-tourist not too far behind!<\/p><\/div>\n The rain clouds coming and going<\/p><\/div>\n Kumis, the origin story. It probably highly improves your variety of gut bacterias…<\/p><\/div>\n At the top of our first pass<\/p><\/div>\n And we always attract a crowd. This time three (!) buses of German students at the pass, one of their bus had destroyed a wheel, and we ended up been as fast as they were the next three days.<\/p><\/div>\n Keen to make good gains on our way to Sary Tash, we set off the next morning for the last downhill ride of our day. The further we cycled, the more varied the landscapes became \u2013 red canyons and glacier studded mountains way in the distance. Along the way, we were greeted by cyclists who were coming off of their Pamir high and excited by the prospect of completing their journey and possibly a proper city with running water. At lunch time, Daniele, the Italian cyclist, caught up with us and we continued cycling up the valley and through small villages. Here, children are used to cyclists and seemed to have a sixth-sense for when one was approaching- eager to run out to the street screaming \u2018Hello!\u2019 and sticking their hand our for high-fives. In the evening, we found the local watering hole near the village Kichi-Karakol with pure water coming from higher glaciers and decided to camp near the fresh water, despite the amount of people coming and going. In our journey towards Sary Tash, it became increasingly apparent how many villages and towns in Kyrgyzstan don\u2019t have basic indoor plumbing. We (C\u00e9dric more than I) became used to outhouses, but along this valley we saw an increasing amount of people using wells and pumps for water which are located on the main road. In some villages, such as Kichi-Karakol, the preferred water source was a nearby stream coming directly from the mountains (protip: don\u2019t take water from the main stream). As we set up our tents, family trucks and cars passed to fill up large drums with fresh water. Daniele also entertained two teenagers by allowing them to ride his bicycle and took pictures of them with their smartphones proudly sitting atop his bike\u2013 and after a couple of minutes wondering if letting a 10-year-old ride his bike across the river was such a smart decision.<\/p>\n Tearing down camp in the morning. Central Asia is more remote than any of the previous places we had been too – except for the amount of cyclists: we have often met more people some days than in 10 weeks across Australia!<\/p><\/div>\n We’ve been passed by a lot trucks carrying an impossible amount of hay (yes, there is a truck under that pony’s dream)<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Another kid blockade<\/p><\/div>\n (Note that the broken Audi in the background is also the usual part of the Kyrgyz landscapes)<\/p><\/div>\n A lot of farmers use the road for moving livestock from pasture to pasture<\/p><\/div>\n One of the most stunning areas where we found a spot to camp<\/p><\/div>\n Views for the night<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The next day, we continued our slow climb up towards the Taldyk (Thankful<\/em> in English) pass. We crossed the last few villages, giving more high-fives to the children, and waving to the locals. As the valley began to narrow it also became steeper and finally as we neared the end of the valley, we started the arduous switchback climb up 1200 meters. Each time C\u00e9dric and I stopped, we were panting because the air was thinning. As we reached the top of the Taldyk pass at 3650 meters, we recorded a new altitude record for the Pino. We took pictures with Daniele and then continued cycling to Sary Tash. As we descended into the Alai Valley, we could see the glacier-covered peaks of the Pamir Mountains at over 7000 meters, with the Lenin Peak becoming more and more visible. While buying supplies at a market in Sary Tash, C\u00e9dric met two tandem+trailer cyclists from France who invited us to stay at their guesthouse for the night. As we arrived, we were surprised to see even more cyclists and we were all excited to share stories of our journeys over tea and a heaping plate of potatoes. (From here on out, C\u00e9dric and I will be attempting<\/em> to avoid meat due to lack of constant electricity \u2013 generators for a few hours at night \u2013 and clean water sources… we’ll let you know if we succeeded).<\/p>\n Heading towards the 3000m<\/p><\/div>\n Exhausted after the first bit uphill<\/p><\/div>\n Osh to the Tadjik border is basically a long 200km+ continuous climb starting at an altitude of 900m up to 4300m.<\/p><\/div>\n We have no idea what this arch is for… we suppose it’s the gateway to the Pamirs? Or maybe a temporal gate, had the Soviet union found time-travel? We did not get into Moscow, so it probably does not work anymore…<\/p><\/div>\n A water break attracting some local cyclists<\/p><\/div>\n The 1200mD+ climb up to the pass<\/p><\/div>\n Views along the way<\/p><\/div>\n Karl Marx’s style in the foreground, peak Lenin in the background (the white mountain in the middle is not a cloud, but a 7000m summit!).<\/p><\/div>\n An idyllic valley before climbing once again…<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>